Oakland County sheriff’s deputy dies in Florida crash

Jennifer Garringer, pictured on her wedding day in August 2016, was on vacation with her husband in Orlando and was crossing a street using a crosswalk when she was struck by a vehicle, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard reported Monday.(Photo: Family photo)

Pontiac – A forensic lab specialist deputy with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office died Sunday night in a hit-and-run accident in Florida.

Jennifer Garringer, 31, of Walled Lake was on vacation with her husband in Orlando and was crossing a street using a crosswalk when she was struck by a vehicle, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard reported Monday.

A security guard who witnessed the crash was able to track down the suspect’s vehicle.

A 25-year-old Orlando man has been arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident.

“Our hearts and prayers are with Jennifer’s family during this difficult time,” said Bouchard. “Her contributions to our agency in the Forensic Lab have helped to close countless investigations and bring justice to victims. She will truly be missed and our agency is a little less vibrant without her as part of the team.”

Funeral details were unavailable, Bouchard said in a press release.

Garringer was hired in 2013 as a forensic lab technician assigned to firearms analysis. She was promoted in June 2016 to work in latent prints analysis.

Garringer took the lead in acquiring skills in 3-D scanning to complement crime scene processing and was the key person in the success of the sheriff’s office integrated ballistics identification system program.

She obtained a bachelor of science degree from Wayne State University in 2011.

During her time with the sheriff’s office, she received many accolades and compliments from local agencies, including a unit citation from the Farmington Police Department for her efforts leading to the arrest of a suspect wanted in multiple crimes, Bouchard said.